I have been looking at more homes in the charlotte area. I found really affordable lakefront homes in Shirells Ford nc. I was hoping to hear some info on lake norman and what people think of the northern side vs southern side. schools are not an issue and I can live anywhere in the nc or sc area, but i want to live somewhere within the center of both states. Thanks for the help

My best friend lives in Cornelius, NC and I was there a little over a week ago for the NASCAR race (he is on the #55 Mark Martin team). I hung out around there and liked it a lot, though housing was pretty pricey in that area. The lake looked great there and looked like some good boating.

Sherrills Ford is probably cheaper due to being about the furthest from Charlotte you can get while still being on the lake. From what I gathered most things on the west and north-west side of the lake are a lot cheaper just because it is a long drive to get to anything (work, good shopping, things to do, etc.). That said, if you don't need quick access to any of those things it is probably the ideal area to live due to the much lower cost of homes. Cornelius area you are looking at 600k+ to get on the water, and most are 800k+.

I actually live in Sherrills Ford, and I can say its a nice place to live. Its easy to get into Charlotte and I would also say faster than people in even Mooresville/Cornielus, while they battle 77, we can take 16 in, and barely see another car. I can be to the airport in less then 30 min at 7:30am, and I can get to a Panthers game in about 5 min more. Mooresville is close, and has everything you would ever need as far as shopping, if you want a bit more, Birkdale is about 20 min, you can get to North Lake Mall, or even South Park Mall in about 35 and 45 min respectfully. In Sherrills Ford itself you have Butcher Boys, which has a great breakfast and is great for people watching (it will be scary, but trust me the breakfast buffet is worth it). You also have Liegnburgers Steak House, which is really good and always packed. The General Store is huge, if you havent been in there stop in and look around. It has a ton of character, and will have anything that you may need.

The North side, has more areas to board IMO, and you arent fighting as many people. There are great coves tucked away all over the north end, and LKN Marina has the cheapest gas on the water for those days you forget to fill up at the dock. We actually have more places to eat and hang out, The Landing, Grills, Blue Parrot, Riverside, and Queen's Landing are all right there by water, and have great atmosphere. Most of those places have live bands on the weekend, and if you dont like one band, you can walk to the next place without moving your boat to hear the other bands. The south side has places too, but more often than not I find them obnoxious, and trying too hard, where as the north side locations seem to let it flow more.

I find the water is a bit warmer in the spring and fall than the south side, and my boat's temp gauge will prove it. There are tons of great places to live on the North Side. I will say it seems a bit sparse, but it really isnt, as you have to pass everything you need on your way home everyday anyways, and you are never sitting in traffic on hwy 16. I know a lot of people think its crazy, but it is totally worth driving to work and walking to play.

i think this could work, we found a 2008 home for 420,000 really nice and the taxes are uber cheap. now we are coming from pgh pa so we think 4k a year in taxes is dirt cheap. i am a sales rep that covers all of sc and nc, so we can live anywhere. my girl is just starting to look for work, but we have a condo on lake wylie for now. we are moving this friday cant wait. i have not lived in an apartment in 18 yrs so its not going to take long before i loose my mind. please keep the info coming.

I love the north side of LKN. Its much more mellow than the south side. It almost seems that the south side is the party side of the lake and the north side is a bit more family friendly with calmer water. There is also a hot spot close to the steam plant that allows the water to be much warmer year round. This hot spot is just long enough to get a run in and then turn around. Highway 16 is a great pathway to take into Charlotte or up you cna take it the other way towards the mountains for some great scenic views and good times. Plus, Mountain Island is right off 16 and that little lake is glass 24/7

i am 37 and the misses is 30, so we are in the middle of the party scene we still like a good time, but not every weekend. we currently live on 4 acres with no neighbors so we like the idea of have some privacy and a lot of the properties are not. sherrills ford seams to be not so crowded. we are going to take a bunch of road trips and check out the area's over the weekends. thanks for the info

Hi Doug - I think the drive times are a little optimistic for Sherrills Ford as stated above. I drove to South Park area everyday for like 6 months from Denver and it would take close to an hour. Not terrible, but without traffic it can move faster. The other times he stated were pretty spot on when driving from Denver, not Sherrils Ford. Probably add another 15 minutes. My mom drives into downtown every morning and I think it takes her about 45 minutes. She works in the new Duke building next to the stadium. They live in a small community right next to Sailview. When I am up there the riding spots are endless. Right in front of their house is a spot that stays glass up until about noon. So right around the time we take a break. Then it gets rough and it calms back down around 5. So its pretty much perfect. Short clip to the fuel station and a restaurant. There is also some stuff close to Sherrils Ford if it gets real bad. If you are looking to go out and have plenty of things to do, Denver is not your place to be. But if you want to be in the middle of everything and have plenty to do, move to exit 25 or 28. However, I know from when my parents were looking the taxes in Cornelius are close to twice as much. But Lake Norman to me has always been great. Just keep looking and if you have any questions please feel free to drop me a line. I have been riding on Lake Norman for the past 15-20 years.